Where do I go to get started?

precious · 07-14-2006, 06:54 AM

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie and I was wondering if anyone can provide me with information in regards to how to get the process started. I curently live in Toronto and I don't know what is required or what I have to do to get the surgery. I would like to know how long it normally takes to get the surgery done in the US because I heard it's about a year long wait to get it done in Canada. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

fr1endly2 · 07-14-2006, 07:18 AM

HI PRECIOUS! FIRST off, welcome to the boards! I look forward to getting to know you thru your posts. We have some canadian members that i know will help and advise you......this was how my journey went...

I saw my PCP in the end of. February, 2005...we discussed WLS and both agreed this was what i needed to improve my quality of life and get in better health. HE refferred me to a SURGEON that he knew had a great reputation. I phoned the surgeons office and attended his information seminar. I was completely impressed by this surgeon...(mind you I had appointment with another....and seminar with another prior but wasnt impressed)...SO the next morning i made my appointment for my first consult on WLS. I met with the surgeon...and was told which doctors i needed to see to get clearances for the surgery ....i had to see the surgeons nutritionist, cardiologist, have an upper endoscopy, gall bladder songram, have a pscy evaluation, see a pulmonary specialist and LOOSE 10 percent of my weight. I blew thru all these appointments in a few months and had my surgery scheduled for JUNE 1, 2005. I did have extensive cardiac testing which took me a drop longer as they thought i had blocked artieries but it turned out to be just my size causeing shadowing.
SO for me from the first appointment to surgery took me 3 months.
I hope this helps you....
HUGS and feel free to ask any and all questions you may have this board is so awesome for support.

wannabethin · 07-14-2006, 07:45 AM

Welcome Precious! Like Friendly said, Canada is different than the U.S., but I'm sure you'll have some posts from your fellow Canadians soon. Again, welcome to the boards--you will love it here.

DocSanae · 07-14-2006, 08:25 AM

Welcome to the board, precious, thank you for joining us.
freebird is from Canada, and waiting for approval. I do hear that the wait in Canada is much longer than in the US.
I hope all goes well for you.
((((((HUGS)))))) May your journey go well.

P.S. I have moved this thread to the Welcome Wagon, as it is a more appropriate place than where this thread first was posted. I hope you won't mind.

precious · 07-16-2006, 09:13 AM

Thank you for the welcome and the help.

SHH · 07-16-2006, 07:54 PM

Hi Precious, Welcome to the boards.

I see you are from Canada, but asking about surgery in the US. Are you close to Erie, PA? IF so, I can recommend a WONDERFUL surgeon for you there. Let me know.

Have a great day. SH

precious · 07-17-2006, 08:55 PM

I'm not really sure where Erie PA is but I'm an hour away from Buffalo.

SHH · 07-17-2006, 10:06 PM

Hey Precious,

Erie is not too far from Buffalo. I am not sure exactly how far, but I know I fly into Buf. when I am visiting my friend from Erie.

If you can have your surgery in the US, check into Dr. Amjad Ali at Hamot Medical Center in Erie. He is a friend of mine, and a WONDERFUL Bariatric Surgeon. Check him out an mylapsurgeon.com.

Good luck to you. SH

precious · 07-18-2006, 07:20 AM

I will, thanks a lot.

precious · 07-19-2006, 07:06 AM

Would you happen to Dr. Ali's number?

07-14-2006, 06:54 AM	#1 (permalink)
precious Newbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 7 Please Enter Height:	Where do I go to get started? Hi everyone, I'm a newbie and I was wondering if anyone can provide me with information in regards to how to get the process started. I curently live in Toronto and I don't know what is required or what I have to do to get the surgery. I would like to know how long it normally takes to get the surgery done in the US because I heard it's about a year long wait to get it done in Canada. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

07-14-2006, 07:18 AM	#2 (permalink)
fr1endly2 Seasoned Veteran Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SOMEPLACE LONG ISLAND, NY Posts: 6,756 Weight Statistics June 1, 2005 Start Date: Please Enter Height: 310 lb Start Weight: 167 lb Current Weight: 159 lb Goal Weight: 143 lb Weight Loss: 8 lb Lb Left to Lose: 46.1290322581 % % Lost: Body Mass Index 51 BMI Start: 27 BMI Current: Weight Loss Method Roux en Y Gastric Bypass	HI PRECIOUS! FIRST off, welcome to the boards! I look forward to getting to know you thru your posts. We have some canadian members that i know will help and advise you......this was how my journey went... I saw my PCP in the end of. February, 2005...we discussed WLS and both agreed this was what i needed to improve my quality of life and get in better health. HE refferred me to a SURGEON that he knew had a great reputation. I phoned the surgeons office and attended his information seminar. I was completely impressed by this surgeon...(mind you I had appointment with another....and seminar with another prior but wasnt impressed)...SO the next morning i made my appointment for my first consult on WLS. I met with the surgeon...and was told which doctors i needed to see to get clearances for the surgery ....i had to see the surgeons nutritionist, cardiologist, have an upper endoscopy, gall bladder songram, have a pscy evaluation, see a pulmonary specialist and LOOSE 10 percent of my weight. I blew thru all these appointments in a few months and had my surgery scheduled for JUNE 1, 2005. I did have extensive cardiac testing which took me a drop longer as they thought i had blocked artieries but it turned out to be just my size causeing shadowing. SO for me from the first appointment to surgery took me 3 months. I hope this helps you.... HUGS and feel free to ask any and all questions you may have this board is so awesome for support. __________________ LISA http://w5.photobucket.com/widgets/dy...164/fr1endly2/ LAP RNY Gastric Bypass

07-14-2006, 07:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
wannabethin Guru In Training Join Date: May 2006 Location: In the country Posts: 336 Weight Statistics August 2006 Surgery Date: Please Enter Height: 210 lb Start Weight: 141 lb Current Weight: 125 lb Goal Weight: 69 lb Weight Loss: 16 lb Lb Left to Lose: 32.8571428571 % % Lost: August 2007 Goal Date: Body Mass Index 38 BMI Start: 25 BMI Current: 22 BMI Goal: Weight Loss Method Roux en Y Gastric Bypass	Welcome Precious! Like Friendly said, Canada is different than the U.S., but I'm sure you'll have some posts from your fellow Canadians soon. Again, welcome to the boards--you will love it here. __________________

07-14-2006, 08:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
DocSanae Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 8,726 Blog Entries: 2 5' 5" Height:	Welcome to the board, precious, thank you for joining us. freebird is from Canada, and waiting for approval. I do hear that the wait in Canada is much longer than in the US. I hope all goes well for you. ((((((HUGS)))))) May your journey go well. P.S. I have moved this thread to the Welcome Wagon, as it is a more appropriate place than where this thread first was posted. I hope you won't mind. __________________ "In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun." Just a li'l bit 'bout myself

07-16-2006, 07:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
SHH WLS Master Guru Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 508 Please Enter Height:	Hi Precious, Welcome to the boards. I see you are from Canada, but asking about surgery in the US. Are you close to Erie, PA? IF so, I can recommend a WONDERFUL surgeon for you there. Let me know. Have a great day. SH __________________ SH August 10, 2005 265/139/?????



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07-16-2006, 09:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
precious Newbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 7 Please Enter Height:	Thank you for the welcome and the help.

07-17-2006, 08:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
precious Newbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 7 Please Enter Height:	I'm not really sure where Erie PA is but I'm an hour away from Buffalo.

07-17-2006, 10:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
SHH WLS Master Guru Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 508 Please Enter Height:	Hey Precious, Erie is not too far from Buffalo. I am not sure exactly how far, but I know I fly into Buf. when I am visiting my friend from Erie. If you can have your surgery in the US, check into Dr. Amjad Ali at Hamot Medical Center in Erie. He is a friend of mine, and a WONDERFUL Bariatric Surgeon. Check him out an mylapsurgeon.com. Good luck to you. SH __________________ SH August 10, 2005 265/139/?????

07-18-2006, 07:20 AM	#9 (permalink)
precious Newbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 7 Please Enter Height:	I will, thanks a lot.

07-19-2006, 07:06 AM	#10 (permalink)
precious Newbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 7 Please Enter Height:	Would you happen to Dr. Ali's number?

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